The buzz about bee venom really took flight a few years ago when it transpired that such smooth skinned celebrities as the Duchess of Cambridge and Gwyneth Paltrow were fans of this substance as a must-have skincare ingredient.1
And where they lead, we follow. Let’s face it, the chance to easily achieve a radiant and a-list complexion is beyond tempting. Their love of bee venom facials and creams started the rest of us wondering what was so fabulous about it - and where we might get some for ourselves!
It turns out that this bee by-product is quite extraordinary, with many different, and effective, uses on the skin.
Purified Bee Venom is effective at reducing UV - or sun - damage; when it’s applied, skin produces more keratinocytes, which are cells protecting against environmental factors such as sun damage.
It’s also anti-ageing, stimulating cell turnover and collagen formation, which is just what you need for reducing fine lines and wrinkles. In fact, when applied to skin, Purified Bee Venom has been actually shown to increase production of vital collagen producing cells, within a short space of time.
And if you’ve either acne or eczema, it may well be useful, as it has both antibacterial and antibiotic properties.2
In a nutshell - or a honeypot, if you prefer - Purified Bee Venom is quite incredible. Best of all, there's a cumulative effect over time, so it's well worth using on a daily basis!
So what’s actually IN Purified Bee Venom? Well, it’s pretty complex stuff.
The clear liquid is deceptively innocuous looking, and is basically an essential blend of enzymes, peptides and amino acids.
A key anti-ageing ingredient is melittin3, which helps the skin to produce collagen and elastin, both of which plump up the complexion, as well as helping to maintain youthful elasticity.4
Bee venom is incredibly precious. When a bee stings, it usually dies, as the stinger is left behind. But don’t worry, when it comes to Manuka Doctor, the collection of bee venom is a gentle process during which the bees are unharmed.
To collect the bee venom, a glass pane with a light electrical current running through it is placed near the bees, and then the collected venom is purified, ready for making into effective skincare.
The excitement about the bee venom trend has now settled down. Now, products containing Purified Bee Venom and which work - such as those created by Manuka Doctor - have entered the world of ‘cult’ rather than being considered ‘quirky.’ These days, creams and serums containing bee venom have become a bathroom shelf staple for many of us.
The best way to enjoy the benefits of bee venom is without question in the form of one of the divine to apply and super effective creams by Manuka Doctor.
So you can plump up ageing skin with the ApiNourish Anti-Ageing Rejuvenating Face Mask, which contains both Manuka Honey and Bee Venom to nurture the complexion and refine the appearance of wrinkles. It feels like soft velvet and smells lightly of honey.
Or tap into this year’s biggest beauty trend with the Anti-Pollution range - we’re all focused on fighting the effects of our environment - which includes a Recovery Night Cream, containing Purified Bee Venom to boost elasticity.
Sources
1. CELEBRITIES: Duchess of Cambridge - https://www.townandcountrymag.com/style/beauty-products/a12009463/deborah-mitchell-skincare/, Gwyneth Paltrow has bee stings - https://www.vogue.com/article/gwyneth-paltrow-apitherapy-bee-stings-treatment
2. ACNE CLINICAL TRIAL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jocd.12227 + ECZEMA: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6134939/Bee-venom-dampens-major-driver-eczema.html
3. COMPOSITION OF BEE VENOM: http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/webprojects2001/loveridge/index-page8.html
4. MECHANISM IN SKIN CREAM: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2274969/The-new-buzz-cosmetics-Bee-venom-creams-fool-face-thinking-stung-youthful-looking-skin.html
